Desires of the Heart
by Cheli Forever
Summary: Kai and Dranzer have come a long way. But a strange man shows up and threatens their relationship. Who is he and what does he want? full sum. inside
1. An Almost Normal Day

Desires of the Heart

  


Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade, any of it's characters, or anything associated to it, except a Dranzer blade, a launcher, and a few ripcords.

  


Summary: Just when Kai thinks he's gotten into the habit of treating Dranzer as a friend, and is starting to understand teamwork and friendship, something unexpected happens. A young man shows up in Kai's life, and proves that he will stop at absolutely nothing to get Dranzer. Who is this man? And what does he want with Dranzer?

  


Kai/Emily in later chapters!

  


~~~Chapter 1: An Almost Normal Day~~~

  


"Hey, are these sandwiches for me?"

  


"Tyson, I brought them for you to share with everyone else! I made them myself, you know," Kenny added proudly.

  


"Aw, come on, Chief! We have every right to celebrate! Another victory for the Bladebreakers! And what better way to celebrate than with food? Hey, _Emily_, get enough data from our match?" Tyson teased the red-haired girl who was staying at Kai's house with her team, who was visiting.

  


"Lay off, Tyson," Kai warned coldly.

  


"Ooh! Someone's got a _girlfriend_!" Tyson screamed, dancing around the blue-haired boy.

  


He blushed slightly, and scoffed, but everyone knew it was true. They had seen Kai kissing Emily one night, and he knew it. Snickers surrounded Kai. "_Lay off, Tyson,_" he repeated, with a more threatening tone.

  


Tyson smirked, but didn't pursue the subject. Obviously, Tyson felt he had experienced enough fun teasing Kai for the night. Emily gave him a loving gaze with her crystal eyes. 

  


Kai noted his clock, which said 9:00. The Bladebreakers had partied for hours. "Time for bed," he announced loudly.

  


"Aw, Kai! It's 9:00, Mr. Sourpants!" Tyson complained.

  


"Fine, then, stay up," Kai replied. "But if I don't see someone at my house training first thing tomorrow morning, I'll come over and _wake you up_."

  


Tyson gulped. "Well, time for bed! I'm exhausted!" He faked a yawn.

  


Ray asked, "Kai, mind if we stay over?"

  


Kai shook his head. "Go right ahead. Take the bedrooms on the second floor, they're nicer."

  


Tyson exclaimed, "Let's go check them out already!"

  


Kai stopped him. "Hold on, Tyson!"

  


"What? I didn't do anything!"

  


"You take a bedroom on the fourth floor. It's the same as the second floor bedrooms, but soundproof, so we don't have to listen to your snoring all night!"

  


Tyson opened his mouth to argue, thought better of it, and headed for the fourth floor, by means of the huge dumbwaiter.

  


Kai finished, "All-Starz, you can take the bedrooms on the third floor. They're made for sports fans."

  


This triggered a note of approval in the group. Eddy said, "Yo, thanks, man!"

  


"Better have a baseball room," Michael muttered.

  


Judy said, "Thank you for letting us stay in your house."

  


Kai replied, "Any time, any time." He glanced towards Emily and managed a smile.

  


Steve mumbled, "I hope it's no sissy football stuff."

  


The four All-Starz headed up the stairs. Emily stayed.

  


"Good night, Kai." She gave him a kiss on the lips. It lingered for a few moments.

  


"Good night, Emily," he replied when they pulled away from each other.

  


She headed up the stairs sleepily.

  


"Hey, Kai!" a voice called. "Where's the bathroom?"

  


Kai called back, "Two on each floor! The blue doors!"

  


Kai's mansion had a strange coding. The brown doors were guest bedrooms, the red ones private bedrooms, the blue doors bathrooms, and the green ones recreation rooms, mostly. One had musical instruments everywhere. Another (on the sports bedrooms floor) had sporting goods. The one on the second floor was more of a lobby, with chairs, couches, and tables for reading and such.

  


Kai started up the steps. The doorbell rang. He raised an eyebrow, and went to answer it. Dranzer would save him from any danger. His blade and launcher was in his pocket. He stepped up to the door, and pulled it open...

  


~~TO BE CONTINUED...~~

  


I love getting feedback, good or bad! I know it was a bit of a boring first chapter, but Kai is about to be swept into something bigger than he could ever have imagined...


	2. Battles Begin

Desires of the Heart

  


Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade or any of it's characters.

  


Last chapter:

  


Kai started up the steps. The doorbell rang. He raised an eyebrow, and went to answer it. Dranzer would save him from any danger. His blade and launcher was in his pocket. He stepped up to the door, and pulled it open...

  


~~~Chapter 2: Battles Begin~~~

  


Kai cautiously opened the door... He expected some salesman or danger... The last thing he expected was that the door would fling open and someone would grab his hand and rigorously shake it.

  


Kai stumbled a few steps back, then straightened up and tore his hand from his visitor's. He glared at the one who had grabbed his hand. Kai blinked.

  


He said, not exactly joyfully, or cheerfully, but somewhat eagerly, "Hey, Kai! I'm like, totally your fan!" His carefree voice didn't reach his eyes. Kai was amazed at how close the voice was to his own.

  


Standing there, was a boy a few years older than Kai. His stature and size was similar to Kai's, but slightly taller, due to his age. The boy's - man's, really, as Kai was near the end of his teenage years - cold ruby eyes stared into Kai's. The ruby eyes were like a reflection of his own. _Colour contacts_, Kai thought to himself.

  


He had the same shade of blue in his hair as Kai. Kai frowned, convinced it was dyed, but couldn't deny the authenticity of the carefully spiked hair, near identical to his own. 

  


The boy's face had been painted just like Kai's, the triangles carefully positioned and coloured. He wore a black sleeveless shirt, that, unlike Kai's, had silver stitching. The boy had a light blue jacket over it, the zipper open. He wore dark blue training pants that looked like Kai's, but had big cargo pockets, that could each hold a regular beyblade. He wore black training boots, that looked big, heavy, and uncomfortable. He also had a black backpack slung over his shoulder.

  


Kai gave an icy glare at the look-alike. Surprisingly enough, the visitor didn't flinch from the look; he returned it with his own. Kai asked venomously, "And you would be?"

  


"Name's... Koji. Koji... Sakoyama. Koji Sakoyama."

  


Kai paused for a few moments. The young man had a certain _hesitation_ as he said his name that Kai just couldn't understand. Either he didn't want Kai to know his name... or... that wasn't his real name at all. Kai tried to shrug it off. After all, if he didn't want Kai to know his name, he couldn't force him to tell. But the hesitation wasn't the only thing to give him pause... It was... that _name_... Koji Sakoyama. Kai felt like he had heard it before... Sakoyama seemed familiar from _somewhere_. But _Koji _Sakoyama... Kai was almost _positive_ he had heard _that_ before.

  


/Dammit... I've never seen this kid, and I'm... _almost_ positive I've heard his name before. But I remember... Dad used to say, "Only fools are positive," and I think he's right. Dad... I'll find you someday... I'll never give up... Grandfather took the soul and spirit out of me... but I fought back. He was positive that his plan to use me like a tool would work. He was a fool. He was a fool... not like you, Dad. I just wish my life could have been different./

  


Kai shook his head, halting his thoughts to give Koji a frown. "And what brings you here... Koji?

  


"I came to see you! You're, like, my idol!"

  


Kai thought it was strange the way he spoke, as if it was some sort of act. And despite his warm words, Koji had yet to smile, or even remove that murderous glare. Kai asked, one eyebrow raised, "Really?"

  


"Yeah, totally!" He suddenly broke into a warm, comforting grin. 

  


Although it seemed impossible not to like him, Kai found an air of deception around him, and there was just something _too_ warm about that grin. So warm that it looked fake. But Kai ignored it... for now. But he reminded himself to watch his back and to keep his eyes on this guy.

  


"And what do you want?"

  


"What do I want? I want you to teach me how to blade way better!"

  


"And why would I want to waste my time doing that?"

  


"Hmm... well... I've got the skill and technique, but I blade without feeling or heart, or any of that stuff."

  


Kai tried to keep the astonishment out of his voice. "And you expect me to help you on _that_?"

  


"Um... well, if you can't help me on that, you could always... help me... perfect my technique."

  


"Hmm..." There was something about the young man that gave Kai pause. A sudden thought rushed to his head. "Let's do it this way," he offered. "If _you_... can beat _me_ in a beybattle, I'll help you."

  


"Hmm... outright beat you?"

  


Kai considered this, then added, "I'll settle for a _close_ draw."

  


"Um... only on one condition..."

  


Kai's eyes narrowed again. "And that is...?"

  


"You have to show me your bit-beast!"

  


Kai was about to agree, but stopped himself. What if this guy was just here to spy on his moves? Kai replied, "Only if you prove worthy enough."

  


Koji agreed, "Alright then! Where do we blade?"

  


Kai gestured to a door. He opened it, revealing a flight of steps going down. "Here."

  


Koji walked down the steps without the slightest hesitation.

  


/Well, that's strange... He acts like... he knows and expects what's down there.../

  


Kai quickly followed him, switching on the light. Several large dishes, some plain, others decorated, were built into the floor.

  


Koji asked, "Which one?"

  


Kai shrugged. "It's all the same to me."

  


Koji picked a plain dish and prepared to launch. "Ready?"

  


Kai pulled out his Dranzer blade and launcher from his pocket. Kai didn't notice that Koji's eyes were suddenly bloodshot, focused on Kai's blade, or more specifically, his bit-chip, bearing the red phoenix named Dranzer. 

  


Kai replied, "You better believe it."

  


Koji counted down, "3... 2... 1... let it rip!"

  


Two blades whizzed into the dish, a black and a blue. Kai noticed Koji's blade had a striking resemblance to Black Dranzer, old and fierce, but without the picture of a bit-beast in the centre... though the blank bit-chip looked fairly new, as if it had been recently replaced. Someone else wouldn't have noticed... but Kai Hiwatari, not noticing an old blade with a brand new bit-chip?

  


Kai didn't understand. Bit-chips were just about the most durable and sturdiest pieces of a blade... A whole blade could be easily shattered, while the bit-chip remained without a scratch. They were made to last, so that the bit-beast would stay contained safely, through tough battles... It was almost as if Koji hadn't _wanted_ anybody to know what his _old_ bit-chip looked like...

  


~~~TO BE CONTINUED...~~~

  


I'd love getting some feedback on how this story's going!


	3. Crazy Events

Desires of the Heart

  


Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade and never have, and never will!

  


"..." voices/people speaking

  


/.../ thoughts

  


(*A/N ...) author's notes

  


Last chapter:

  


Kai didn't understand. Bit-chips were just about the most durable and sturdiest pieces of a blade... A whole blade could be easily shattered, while the bit-chip remained without a scratch. They were made to last, so that the bit-beast would stay contained safely, through tough battles... It was almost as if Koji hadn't _wanted_ anybody to know what his _old_ bit-chip looked like...

  


~~~Chapter 3: Crazy Events~~~

  


Kai shrugged it off, and concentrated on the battle. This was no time for his mind to wander.

  


"Dranzer, attack!"

  


"Defence Beta, attack Alpha!" was Koji's strange reply.

  


Kai watched the battle. /What's he up to? "Defence Beta, attack Alpha"? ...What in the world could that be?/

  


Koji's blade dodged Dranzer skilfully, dancing circles around the angry red phoenix. Then, it went into a complex attack pattern, knocking Kai's blade around like a toy. But. Of course, Dranzer wouldn't lose so easily... and neither would Kai... Kai grit his teeth, glaring at Koji, who he had passed as an amateur looking for a fight.

  


"Dranzer, Fire Arrow!"

  


"Finish 5!"

  


Koji's blade appeared to jump over Kai's flame attack, crashing into Kai's blade at an angle. Kai's blade, and several pieces of the trashed dish flew past Kai, scratching his arms. Kai ignored the pain from the cuts, nothing compared to what he had been through, and barely noticed the blood trickling down to his elbows and staining the white tiles of Kai's basement.

  


"What?!" This exclamation came not from Kai, but from a few "bystanders." The Bladebreakers and the All-Starz, each either hearing some noise and coming to investigate, or searching for Kai for some reason or another, had made it to the basement, and witnessed most of the battle, including Koji's odd orders.

  


There was one exception. Tyson had been making a "night snack," an utterly revolting sandwich with bizarre ingredients, and had been almost literally dragged down the stairs.

  


Kai held his blade in his hands, and formed a mind-link with the phoenix. /Dranzer,/ Kai thought, /are you okay? What happened?/

  


/Master... I mean, Kai. Uh... I'm all right... A little bit of pain from the battle, but nothing worse than those bleeding cuts on your arms. Ugh... I-I'm not sure... his blade had a mind of it's own... without a bit-beast... I heard about some... invisible bit-beasts... but he didn't have one. One bit-beast can always... c-can al-always... sense an-another... ugh.../

  


/Dranzer!/

  


/Just a bit weak, that's all... going to sleep now.../

  


/Rest... you did well.../

  


/Thank you... Kai.../

  


Dranzer and Kai's relationship had developed much more since their time in Russia. Kai had insisted on dropping the "Master" part, and had begun to accept Dranzer as a friend, not a slave. 

  


He slipped his blade and launcher in his pocket, and walked away, calling back stonily, "Training starts first thing tomorrow morning."

  


"Aw, Kai!" Tyson whined.

  


"Tyson!" Ray said, "Don't complain! Kai is the team leader, you know."

  


Kai turned to face the small crowd of people. "I wasn't talking to you," he said coldly. He pointed past both teams at Koji, who stood there looking quite smug. "I was talking to him. You can sleep to your heart's content."

  


"ALRIGHT!!!" Tyson screamed into the silence, unaware of how strange that sounded coming from Kai's mouth.

  


Kai turned his back on them again and walked away, his white "cape" swinging from side to side.

  


~~~~

  


"I just don't get it!"

  


"You know, I think Kai let you have this room so you could sleep," Dizzi replied sarcastically.

  


"Right after I figure out how Koji's blade can act like that without a bit-beast!"

  


"Good luck," Dizzi said. "We've been looking at the data for hours!"

  


"I just gotta figure it out!"

  


"You'd like that, wouldn't you? Well, you won't," a voice darkly muttered from the doorway.

  


"Aw, look who it is," Dizzi said, sarcasm running off every letter.

  


Koji coolly walked over to the laptop. "How do you get it to shut up? By pressing this button?"

  


Kenny panicked as he reached for the power button. "Save! Save!"

  


"Yeah, yeah. I saved the minute Mr. Smart Mouth walked in the door. You just didn't see him because you were sleep-deprived and trying to figure out his blade."

  


"Ha! There's a laugh. The greatest beyblade lab in the world wouldn't be able to figure it out, let alone amateurs like you! No one's ever figured it out, and no one ever will." He stepped up to the doorway, then called over his shoulder, "And don't get involved in things you don't have to." He walked out of the room, closing the door behind him softly.

  


~~~~~

  


"I wonder how that kid gets his blade to act like that," Max said to himself. "Oh, well, I'm sure Kenny will figure it out and bore us with an explanation... (*SNORE*)"

  


~~~~~  
  


"There's something about that kid I don't trust," Ray mumbled to himself. "He's after something, and his blade is weird..." Ray was asleep almost before he got the last word out.

  


~~~~~

  


"(*SNORE*)" was all that was heard from a certain room on the fourth floor, the one next to the dumbwaiter. It was _obvious_ that, like the rest of his team, Tyson Kinoyama was worried about Koji and Kai. And, like everyone else, he had many questions...

  


"Aw, man!" Tyson mumbled in his sleep. "Pizza or a sub? What d'ya mean I can only have one? I got enough money, don't I? Well, don't I?" Except, unlike the others, all of his questions were related to food.

  


~~~~~

  


"Now launch it again."

  


Koji did as he was told, his blade flying into his hand. Kai had Koji jump through hoops for hours after a short breakfast.

  


"More speed," Kai ordered.

  


Koji nodded and launched, smooth and hard. The blade did laps after laps after laps.

  


Kai finally, and hesitantly, decided, "Training's over for today."

  


Koji nodded an acknowledgement, retrieved his blade and headed upstairs. Kai assumed he was getting breakfast. He easily reached the top of the stairs quickly, Koji nowhere in sight. Kai took no notice and stepped into the dining room. The Bladebreakers and All-Starz sat there, eating toast, sausages, scrambled eggs, and bacon with orange juice.

  


"Morning. Where's..." Ray paused, trying to remember. "Koji?"

  


"Like I care."

  


"There's more food in the kitchen," Ray told him, catching his tone.

  


Kai grunted and headed for the kitchen. He helped himself to some food.

  


After breakfast, the Bladebreakers and All-Starz lounged around in Kai's enormous living room. Then, the doorbell rang.

  


"I'll get it," Kai said matter-of-factly as he walked over to the door. He pulled it open. Three people stood there: a middle-aged man, a handsome man with midnight blue hair, a youthful-looking woman, and a black-haired boy a few years older than Kai.

  


"Hi! You must be Kai!" The woman greeted him. "You probably don't remember us. Your grandfather introduced you to us when you were just a kid!"

  


"Wh-Who are you?" Kai asked, but he did have a feeling he had met them before.

  


The handsome and tall man answered first, "I'm Komi. I've been your neighbour for years, I lived here even before your grandfather moved here. And I helped watch over you..." The man had something about him that made Kai stop.

  


The man replied, "Why, we're the Sakoyamas! I'm Hiro, this is Melody, and this is our son, Koji."

  


~~TO BE CONTINUED...~~

  


I already got the ending figured out, and it's... _kinda_ depressing, and quite sad... I'd say only one or two more chapters left.


	4. Dark and Dreadful Day

Desires of the Heart

  


Disclaimer: I do not, have not, and will not own Beyblade, back then, right now, or in the future.

  


"..." voices/people speaking

  


/.../ thoughts

  


(*A/N ...) author's notes

  


Last chapter:

  


Then, the doorbell rang.

  


"I'll get it," Kai said matter-of-factly as he walked over to the door. He pulled it open. Three people stood there: a middle-aged man, a youthful-looking woman, and a black-haired boy a few years older than Kai.

  


"Hi! You must be Kai!" The woman greeted him. "You probably don't remember us. Your grandfather introduced you to us when you were just a kid!"

  


"Wh-Who are you?" Kai asked, but he did have a feeling he had met them before.

  


The man replied, "Why, we're the Sakoyamas! I'm Hiro, this is Melody, and this is our son, Koji."

  


~~Chapter 4: Dark and Dreadful Day~~

  


"U-Um... nice... nice to meet you," Kai said as politely as he could manage. "C-Can I get you anything?"

  


"Oh, no, thank you, dear," Melody replied. "We're just stopping by, I'm afraid. We were just passing by... Perhaps some... other time?"

  


"Some other time, then," Kai replied with a slight smile.

  


"Well, it was nice... seeing you... Kai," Koji said, somewhat stonily, "Maybe we'll... see you sometime..." There was something of a smirk on the boy's lips, as he sauntered off.

  


"Oh, uh... don't mind him," Hiro said nervously.

  


"What did I do?" Kai asked softly.

  


Melody looked sheepish. "Well, you see, Kai... when you were kids, he used to teach you how to blade... In fact, he was the first person to mention blading to you, even before your grandfather. And, well, he's just... a little... Well... he and you used to blade a lot, just for fun. He always won, of course, because before he came along, you didn't know what a beyblade was. And then, one day, he heard of all the training your grandfather put you through. He thought you'd just been playing around with him, losing on purpose so you could see his moves. So he wanted a real battle... and he invited all his friends to watch. So, he was convinced you wouldn't lose on purpose in front of so many people, and..." She broke off.

  


"And what? What happened?" Kai had to know.

  


"Well," Hiro continued for her, "your grandfather was pretty sure you had no chance of winning, and he didn't want you looking like some loser in front of all those people... so... he gave you Dranzer. And, well... you battled him, and you used Dranzer and won."

  


"So, why is he...?"

  


Hiro sighed and explained, "By using Dranzer, it made you look like you had this secret weapon the whole time, and you could use it whenever you wanted to beat Koji. So Koji... he just..."

  


Kai caught on. "His suspicions were confirmed, and he was convinced that I had been losing all that time, and he's never gotten over losing in front of his friends."

  


Melody nodded. "So, you see... he put this in his mind when he was just a kid, and he believes in it, and it grows."

  


Hiro said, "Well, we've gotta go, Kai, but it was nice talking to you again."

  


~~~~~

  


"I can't believe you told him, he already knew..."

  


"Koji... he didn't lose on purpose, and you know it deep in your heart. But when you put something in your mind when you're so young, it's hard to get rid of, and by believing in it, you're just making your hatred of him grow."

  


"Yeah, right, he lost on purpose. Even his brother knew that."

  


Hiro abruptly turned from the TV, and Melody dropped a bunch of flowers she had just bought to decorate the living room. Hiro asked sharply, "What brother?"

  


"You wouldn't know. His grandfather practically ignored him, and it didn't matter to him whether the boy came home at night, or at all. He was always hanging around somewhere in the shadows, and after that battle, he disappeared, and never came back."

  


"What did his brother look like?" Hiro questioned.

  


"I don't know. He was hardly ever around. Only me and his grandfather even knew about him. _Kai_ was always training and stuff," he finished with a snarl.

  


Melody ignored and asked, "How could Kai not know he had a brother?"

  


"Huh," Koji snapped, "that's Kai Hiwatari for you."

  


~~~~~  
  


"Hey, you!" 'Koji' snapped, "Seen Kai?"

  


Tyson smirked. "He's taking a walk with _Emily _around that deserted bridge downtown. They closed it years ago, and no one ever goes there now. I woulda followed them, but, man, Kai can see things a mile away..."

  


'Koji' had already turned his back and was walking away. Koji's back faced Tyson, so Tyson couldn't see that he had a sinister smirk plastered on his face...

  


~~~~~

  


"The sunset sure is beautiful, huh, Kai?"

  


"Almost as beautiful as you."

  


She grinned. "Really?"

  


"Really."

  


A bush rustled behind them. Kai turned, pushing Emily behind him. A blur flashed past Kai's eyes.

  


"Ahh!"

  


Kai turned to see 'Koji' holding Emily around the neck. Kai took an angry step forward.

  


"I wouldn't try anything funny." The young man, who suddenly seemed ten years older, drew a short, sharp knife out of a leather sheath hanging at his side, under his jacket. He held it to Emily's neck, the same way that people did it in movies or on TV. But this was real.

  


"Let her go," Kai insisted, wishing he was closer. He stood a good ten feet or more from them. If he _had_ been closer, he would have most likely jumped him. But this was in the other guy's hand now. If he wasn't afraid of Kai - and why should he be? He had a knife - then he wouldn't let her go. He had the upper hand.

  


Kai's thoughts were confirmed. "You're in no position to be making demands... brother," he finished, spitting out the last word with disgust.

  


"Brother? Just let her go, please!"

  


"Of course you wouldn't know me. Nobody knew me except our _dear_ grandfather, and that kid, Koji Sakoyama, the real one. Oh well, he's dead now, isn't he? Got caught trying to take over the world, the idiot."

  


"Yeah, he did. And he's dead. Committed suicide," Kai replied. _"Come on, what do you want?" _Kai asked angrily, as police cars and a few ambulances surrounded them.

  


They had been glaring so intensely at each other that neither of the boys nor Emily had heard the approaching sirens.

  


"Back off," he warned the cops, as they pointed guns at him.

  


"Do as he says," Kai added, "He's got a knife... and my girlfriend." The cops hesitantly lowered their weapons.

  


"Kai!" I noticed both blading teams standing off to the side, absorbing the scene.

  


"What do I want, Kai?" The boy repeated softly, although his hold on Emily didn't loosen. "What do I want?_ I want what's rightfully mine!_"

  


Kai stuttered, confused, "I-I don't-"

  


"_I want_ Dranzer! He _should_ be mine! _I _was first-born! _I_ was older! _I_ was the one who _should have_ gotten Dranzer!"

  


"D-Dranzer?"

  


He snarled, "That's right. Now give him to me, _or else_."

  


/Do what you think is right, Master Kai,/ Dranzer said inside his head.

  


/But.../

  


/I am willing to be an exchange for Emily... it has been an honour serving you, Kai.../

  


/I-I can't.../

  


/What about Emily?/

  


As if reading his mind, Kai's brother called to him, "This girl's life means nothing to me, _brother_."

  


"Kai," Emily said weakly, "you don't have to do it. I'm gonna be okay..."

  


/No, you aren't,/ Kai thought desperately.

  


"No, you aren't," his brother voiced.

  


"Please, let her go!"

  


"Give me Dranzer!"

  


"If I do... will you let her go?"

  


"Yes... I will."

  


"How can I be so sure? You said her life doesn't mean a thing."

  


"Dammit, Kai, stop being so bloody stubborn!"

  


"Funny... it seems to run in this family..." Kai smirked, but his brother's expression grew angrier. "Korida Tai Hiwatari," Kai whispered.

  


He froze, tightening his grip on Emily. Kai pleaded, "Kori, please! You, you can't do this!"

  


Kori paused a moment, then dropped his arm to his side, but continued to hold his knife out. But in that moment, he was suddenly almost the innocent, lonely child he had been. Emily rushed to Kai's side. Kai pushed her behind him, under the watchful eyes of the police. 

  


"Kai... you know I could never hurt an innocent girl." Kai nodded sadly.

  


The cops took a few steps towards Kori, guns raised.

  


"Come with us, peacefully, and no one has to get hurt," one of them said.

  


"Don't," Kori insisted. With no hostage left, he turned the knife on himself, the tip pointing at his chest.

  


"Kori!" Kai cried, brushing away a hot tear.

  


"Kai..."

  


"Don't do this."

  


"Don't do it, Kori," a voice behind Kai said. Kai turned and saw the real Koji Sakoyama.

  


"Koji, Kai, please. You have to understand." Koji pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket, crumpled it slightly, and tossed it to Kai. Kai caught it and stuffed it in his pocket mindlessly.

  


Koji went on, "You have to understand. I have nothing more to live for."

  


"No, Kori, no!" Kai sobbed. Kai had never cried before, never.

  


"Kai, I'm already dead. I've been wandering around, a condemned spirit, almost, looking for revenge. And I've hurt the person closest to me, you..."

  


"Come on, Kori, we've had a few arguments, but you don't have to do this."

  


"I am already dead," he insisted. "I never told you this, Kai, but I love you. You're my brother, and you used to sneak me food, because Grandfather never remembered me. Here, I want you to have this." Kori tossed Kai his blade and launcher. "I... built it myself... put mini computer system into it, so it recognises my voice and does what I order it to. Acknowledge Kai Hiwatari voice command." The blade beeped quietly.

  


He stood, silent, then drove the knife hard into his chest.

  


"NO, KORI!!!" Kai was at his side in an instant.

  


"I'm sorry," a doctor who had jumped off an ambulance said softly.

  


Kai didn't respond for a few minutes, he just sat there, crying on Kori's jacket sleeve. "I'm sorry, Kori. I'm sorry I couldn't have been a better brother."

  


"Kai..." Kai looked up. Koji had an expression of pain on his pale face. "I should never have blamed you. I know you really tried to win our battles, but I just couldn't admit that I was wrong, and I think your brother felt that."

  


"Koji, uh, um, see you around sometime?" Kai could not find other words, so he simply held out his hand. Koji grinned and shook it.

  


They were starting to take Kori's body away.

  


Kai stopped them for a moment. "Kori, I'm sorry you couldn't have grown up differently. We could have been the best of friends, and the closest of brothers, but it's too late now... It's not your fault, Kori, you couldn't help it. It just happened, and you couldn't stop it. And you died early on. You died when everybody ignored you, and you could barely get any food. Your soul and spirit died. Your body lived on. You were... you were just angry at the world, and the world was angry at you. So you tried to revenge on the world. It's not your fault, Korida, and it never was."

  


Kai started to walk home. The two blading teams stood there, shocked and frozen. Even they could not run after Kai and tell him it was going to be okay. Nobody could, and the truth was that it wouldn't be okay, and Kai knew it...

  


~~~~~

  


WAHHHH!!!! I really shouldn't write in the summer... it's so depressing, and I have nothing to be depressed at. I mean, it's a bit boring because of this MAJOR heat-wave, so it's too hot to do anything interesting, but... no school, no homework, no teachers, no glaring arch-nemesis... 

  


Yeah, and the story IS NOT OVER!! There will be an epilogue... I'm working on it...


	5. Epilogue

Desires of the Heart

  


Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade.

  


~~Chapter 5: Epilogue~~

  


A week had passed since the death of Korida Tai Hiwatari. A funeral had been held. The Bladebreakers continued to stay at Kai's house, but the All-Starz had continued their journey around the world to collect beyblading data. As the narrator and author, I wish I could say that everything went back to normal...

  


~~~~~

  


There was a knock at the door.

  


Kai Hiwatari was in no mood for visitors. He snapped, "What??"

  


The door opened. Ray Kon walked in. "I made breakfast."

  


"So?"

  


"Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. You've hardly eaten anything in the last week!"

  


"I'm not hungry."

  


"Yeah, but I haven't seen or even heard you training in the last week either."

  


"So?" Kai was getting impatient.

  


"You always train!"

  


"Look, do you have a point?"

  


Ray shrugged helplessly. "I guess not..." He walked out.

  


Kai frowned. He picked up a tennis ball and threw it against the wall angrily. It bounced off a pair of pants. Something crinkled loudly. Kai blinked. Something was in the pockets of his pants. He got up and pulled it out. He stared at the crinkled paper, vaguely remembering someone throwing it to him.

  


He straightened it out best he could, and read silently, almost hearing a soft voice whispering:

  


_Kai... I hoped it wouldn't come to this. But if you're reading this now, I'm gone... finally. I was born and raised into a world of pain and anger, and so were you. The difference is that you are and will be somebody. The somebody that I never could be. I always dreamed of it, Kai, being more than a small person in a big world. Don't be like me, Kai. You're a good kid, you always were. If you had been raised in a real family, you wouldn't be like you are, cold and hard. But that coldness is just a wall, a barrier protecting your heart. And all walls fall eventually. You just need something strong. _

  


_You have friends. You have a girlfriend. Don't let them slip away. Just... please. Live out the dream that I never had a chance to live. Be somebody. Help this world, so nobody will be raised like I was. Consider it a last wish. By the way, the blade was built... by our father. I lied, he built it. Find him. He's out there. I even heard he was acting like a neighbour. He could be living near you, Kai. Trust me, he was a great guy. I know that he would willingly do anything so that we could both get another chance at life, but things don't happen that way. We can't go through our lives wondering "what if?" Be strong, Kai. Hang tough. And never give up... for both of us. I'm sorry we never got a chance to live a happy life together. Goodbye... my brother._

  


Kai sat in quiet reflection for a few seconds, then decided to get some breakfast. He couldn't help but give a small smile as he walked into the kitchen and got some food. Ray's cooking was better than his.

  


"Hey, Kai!" Ray greeted him as Kai stepped into the dining room where Tyson was wolfing down fifths.

  


"Excellent as usual, Ray," Kai replied as he took a seat and gestured to the food.

  


"Tyson seems to agree," Max added cheerfully.

  


Ray tried not to push too hard, but he had to ask, "Feeling better, Kai?"

  


"You bet. After all, life is best lived with friends."

  


Ray grinned and they finished their breakfasts in silence.

  


Kai called as he swallowed his last bite, "Tyson!" He smiled uncharacteristically.

  


"What?" Tyson replied between bites.

  


"Hurry up. I want to talk to you in the kitchen."

  


"Fine!"

  


Kai strolled back into the kitchen, and set up to cook.

  


"What's so important that you had to interrupt my breakfast?" Tyson whined as he stepped into the kitchen.

  


"Well..."

  


~~Meanwhile~~

  


"He seems happier," Ray noted, "doesn't he?"

  


Max nodded in agreement. Kenny complained, "I still can't figure out this blade!"

  


"I'm sure you'll get it, Chief," Max assured him.

  


Ray pondered aloud, "Why would he call Tyson into the kitchen?"

  


"That's a good question," Kenny put in.

  


"Let's go look," Max suggested. The other two boys agreed. They opened the kitchen door a crack. The boys blinked and suppressed giggles.

  


"YOU WANT ME TO WHAT?"

  


"I said I'm going to teach you how to cook."

  


"B-But-"

  


"Tyson! It's only fair. With all the food you eat, you should have learned a long time ago. As they say, 'Give a man a fish and he will have food for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will have food for a lifetime.'"

  


"Oh... fine!"

  


"Good. We'll start with eggs. You can cook eggs in many ways, but the easiest is to boil them. Now..." Kai went through the instructions on how to boil a egg in it's shell slowly and patiently. As he said each step, he showed Tyson how to do it. The three boys ducked back into the living room and broke into hysterics.

  


The doorbell rang. "I'll get it," Ray told them, and did so.

  


Standing there was Komi. His midnight blue hair was spiked up. "Is Kai here?"

  


Kai came around the corner. "Who is it? I left Tyson in the kitchen. I hope he doesn't play with the stove controls... Komi?"

  


"Yeah... um, Kai. I want you to know, well, this might be a bit sudden... but I-I'm... your father."

  


"I thought as much." This came not only from Kai. Two voices said this, Kai and another voice from behind Komi. Komi stepped aside to reveal Koji Sakoyama.

  


"Dad..."

  


"Kai, I can't make up all the years, I know, but I'm begging you to forgive me. I mean..."

  


"You're here now, aren't you?" Kai asked softly.

  


Komi grinned. "Yes, I am..."

  


"By the way, that blade you built is pretty incredible. It's got Kenny here beweildered."

  


"Blade?" Kenny asked. "You mean..."

  


Komi gave the kid half his height a grin. "How 'bout I give you some help with it?"

  


"Thank you, sir," Kenny replied in relief. Both of them went up to Kenny's temporary room.

  


"Hey, Kai," Koji said from the doorway.

  


"Yeah?"

  


Koji pulled out a blade and launcher. "How 'bout a battle?"

  


Kai smirked. "I'm not going easy on you."

  


"Fine, but, well..."

  


Kai and Koji said in unison, "Life is best spent with friends."

  


They both grinned as they rushed to a dish. "We used to say that all the time," Koji explained.

  


"Three... two... one... let it rip!" They cried as they both blades whizzed loudly into the dish.

  


~~Meanwhile~~

  


Ray and Max stared after the smoking trail the two re-united friends had left.

  


"What do we do now?" Max questioned.

  


Ray suggested, "I could teach you how to cook."

  


Max grinned. "Eggs, right?"

  


"How'd you know?"

  


Max sniffed. "Do you smell something...?"

  


Ray sniffed also and responded, "Smells like... something... BURNING!!!"

  


Max gulped. "Ray... eggs can't... BURN, can they?"

  


Ray could only say, "..."

  


Max repeated nervously, "..."

  


Ray finally mustered, "Um...."

  


A cry from the kitchen called, "AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!"

  


Ray and Max exchanged looks and dashed for the kitchen.

  


~~~~~~

  


And so, life went back to normal... sort of. Many new things happened. But alas... there isn't enough room to tell here... perhaps some other time...

  


~~THE E-

  


"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"

  


Author: Tyson! You interrupted the ending!

  


Tyson: ... I-I had a nightmare!! There were all these...

  


Author: What? All these what?

  


Tyson: There were all these EGGS! The raw ones were teasing me and threatening to make me eat them if I didn't learn how to cook, and the boiled ones were all laughing at me!! And there was this blue-haired monster!!

  


Author: ... Save it for the next story. We're out of time.

  


~~THE END~~


End file.
